Russia-Ukraine war live: reports Ukrainian forces have retaken eastern bank of Kherson; UN accuses both sides of torturing POWs

Over the last week, several media reports have claimed that the west may be trying to pressure Ukraine into ceding territory in exchange for a ceasefire.

Some of Ukraine’s western allies are reportedly worried about the economic consequences of a protracted war. Italy’s La Republicca reported that some Nato allies envisaged talks beginning after Ukraine recaptured Kherson. On Friday, Ukraine announced Russian forces had fled the right bank of Kherson, but they still occupy the left side.

In response, President Zelenskiy and his aides adamantly ruled out talks, saying that first Russia must withdraw its troops from Ukraine and the country’s international borders are re-established.

Speaking to the G20 summit, Zelenskiy said there would be no Minsk-3, referring to the failed peace accords which Ukraine signed under pressure in 2015. The ceasefire was never adhered to by either side and the political points of the agreement would have given Russia’s proxies in eastern Ukraine a right to vote over Ukrainian legislation, if implemented.

The latest public pushback of the allies pressure to conclude the war in the near future has come from Ukraine’s army chief, Valerii Zaluzhnyi.

On Monday, in a phone call with his US counterpart General Mark Milley, Zaluzhnyi said Ukraine’s military will not accept a compromise solution to the war.

I have assured (Milley) that we will fight until we have no strength. Our objective is to liberate the whole Ukrainian land from Russian occupation. We will not stop on this path under any circumstances. Ukrainian soldiers will accept no negotiations, agreements or compromise solutions. The only term for negotiation: Russia must leave all the occupied territories.

Zaluzhnyi further informed Milley of Ukraine’s efforts to defend its northern border with Belarus. In this last month, satellites have detected a build up of Russian forces and equipment in Belarus.

Zaluzhnyi said that despite facing “tremendous” resistance from Russian troops, Ukraine’s forces were pushing to retake the final slither of occupied Kharkiv region.

Meanwhile, Ukraine’s forces were defending against a four-pronged offensive in Donetsk region and consolidating their recent advances in Kherson by building defences.